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TIMBER AND TIMBER TREES. [chap. 
THE ASH TREE ( Fraxiuus ). 
Among British timber trees this occupies a very pro¬ 
minent place, on account of its great beauty and highly 
ornamental character. It attains commonly a height of 
30 to 50 feet, with a circumference of from 5 to 6 feet, 
and grows readily in almost any description of soil, but 
prefers a rich loam and moisture to bring it to the 
greatest perfection. 
We find it frequently raised in coppices. In the 
pottery districts, owing to its value as crate wood, it is 
cut every five or six years, while in other places it is cut 
down only at intervals of seven or eight years. From 
the early falls poles for lances are obtained, besides much 
that is useful to the cooper, the turner, and manufacturer 
of small wares. The later falls yield timber of more 
useful dimensions, and this is exceedingly valuable to 
the coachmaker and the wheelwright. 
The wood is greyish-white in colour, of moderate 
weight and hardness, very even and close in the grain, 
tough, elastic, and easily worked. To the carpenter, 
however, it is only found to be available for very minor 
purposes, as, owing to its great flexibility, it can never 
be safely used in architectural works. For hoops, and 
all kinds of agricultural implements, however, it is in¬ 
valuable, since when steamed or heated it can easily be 
bent into any form of curve required, without injury to 
the fibre. 
It is peculiar to the Ash that it has no sap-wood— 
that is to say, there is no perceptible difference between 
the first-formed and the later or outer layers ; there is 
thus an advantage in the employment of this description 
of wood over that of most others for any of the purposes 
for which it is adapted, as it can be utilised to the full 
diameter of the tree. 
